EDITOR’S NOTE: To promote your wine event on our Calendar of Events, simply e-mail the specifics about the event to: chuck@discoverwashingtonwine.com. It’s best to send the information about your event a minimum of 30 days in advance.
Walla Walla Valley Wineries Get Set for
Spring Release Weekend — May 3 through 5
Make plans now to attend Walla Walla Wine Valley’s Spring Release Weekend, which will take place Friday May 3 through Sunday, May 5. During this annual event, winery and tasting room teams throughout the Valley will curate memorable experiences with live music, food, and wine pairings to showcase their latest releases.
Walla Walla comes alive in spring as the temperatures rise, the vines wake up, and locals and visitors celebrate the changing of the season. With marquee wine events, accessible outdoor recreation, and all the charms of downtown and the surrounding valley, it’s the perfect time to visit.
Walla Walla is home to more than 130 wineries, a nationally recognized culinary scene, an abundance of easily accessible nearby outdoor recreation, and an arts and entertainment scene that rivals cities many times its size. With a population of just over 30,000 residents, the city is known for many things, including its friendliness and hospitality, the quality of its wine, and of course, the famous Walla Walla Sweet Onion.
An easy and scenic four-hour drive from Seattle, Portland, or Boise, Walla Walla can also be accessed via Alaska Airlines daily non-stop flights from Seattle. To begin planning a visit to Walla Walla, visit: www.wallawallawine.cpm/event/spring-release.
6th Annual Lake Chelan Wine and Jazz Festival
Set for Thursday, May 16 through Sunday, May 19
Plan now to attend the 6th Annual Lake Chelan Wine and Jazz Festival, which will take place Thursday, May 16 through Sunday, May 19 in the cities of Chelan and Manson, WA.
The most unique music festival of its kind, the four-day event will feature a wide range of jazz genres, including funk, R&B, Motown, Latin jazz, Blues, and traditional jazz styles. Twenty bands will play at 13 wineries and other venues around the Lake Chelan Wine Valley with 50 performances in all.
The Festival showcases internationally acclaimed jazz artists and celebrates the wonderful wineries located in the historic downtowns of Chelan and Manson as well as the remarkable beauty of the Lake Chelan Wine Valley.
Your Four-Day All Access Festival Pass includes 50 performances at 13 wineries and venues around the lake. Festival passes are $169 plus tax. Children under 12 are free. Complimentary transportation is also available for Festival Pass holders. Passes are available by visiting: www.chelanwinejazz.com.
Food and wine is available for purchase at every performance. Performance schedules are staggered to enable Festival pass holders to see multiple shows per day and to enjoy artists at different venues. It’s like a musical tour of the Lake Chelan Wine Valley. Festival Passes are limited, so you’ll want to grab them before they sell out.
Jazz afficionados will recognize many of the entertainers who will be performing at the Festival: They include Danny Quintero, Cascadia Groove, Stephanie Porter, The New Triumph, Sarah Shea, Dmitri Matheny, Greta Matassa, Hit Explosion, Francesco Crobada, Brohamm, The Mark Lewis Quartet, Michael Winkle, Jake Bergevin, Darren Motamedy, Eugenia Jones, The Scott Lindenmuth Band,, CD Woodbury, The Ellensburg Big Band. Dr. Funk and The Lake Chelan Big Band.
The final day of the Festival has been set aside for performances by the Lake Chelan Jazz Band (from 12:30 to 2 p.m.) and the Ellensburg Big Band (from 2:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.) at downtown Chelan’s River Walk Pavilion.
The full schedule of the Festival, which includes the names of the performers and what venues they will be playing at, can be found at: www.chelanwinejazz/schedule.
Auction of Washington Wines Announces
Schedule for 37th Annual Season of Events
The Auction of Washington Wines (AWW) returns for its 37th year of fundraising, announcing a full calendar of wine events and auctions this spring and summer.
AWW promotes awareness and growth of the Washington wine industry while benefiting the community with ongoing contributions to three beneficiaries: Seattle Children’s Hospital, Washington State University’s Viticulture and Enology Program, and the Auction’s Industry Grant Partner, Vital Wines. The Auction raised $4.1 million in 2023. Since its inception in 1988, the organization has raised more than $63 million.
The organization’s 37th Annual Fundraising Calendar will include: May 15: Wine Country Celebrations Vintner Dinner at Chateau Lill in Woodinville May 16: Wine Country Celebrations Vintner Dinner at Fiction @J. Bookwalter Winery in Richland. May 18: Wine Country Celebrations Vintner Dinner at Abeja Winery in Walla Walla.
August events will include: August 6-10: Gala Online Auction, August 8: TOAST! Industry Awards at Sparkman Cellars in Woodinville, August 9: Winemaker Picnic & Barrel Auction at Chateau Ste. Michelle, August 10: Gala at Chateau Ste. Michelle.
The season kicks off in May with three Vintner Dinners in wine country locations across Washington state — in Woodinville, Richland, and Walla Walla. The dinners offer an exclusive experience for guests to dine alongside winemakers in three different Washington wine regions.
On May 15, Chateau Lill in Woodinville hosts the first Vintner Dinner featuring wines from Mark Ryan Winery, Obelisco Estate, and Tenor Wines. A pre-dinner reception will feature Damsel Cellars, Sleight of Hand Cellars, Kevin White Winery, Latta Wines, Martedi Winery, and Vagabond Wine Company.
The second Vintner Dinner is on May 16 at Fiction @ J. Bookwalter Winery in Richland, featuring wines from Avennia Winery, Treveri Cellars and wines from the surrounding area. The final Vintner Dinner is at Abeja Winery in Walla Walla on May 18, featuring wines from Dossier Wine Collective and Long Shadows Vintners and six additional Walla Walla wineries.
This summer, the Auction of Washington Wines returns with its Gala Online Auction from August 6 to 10. There is something for everyone included in this auction, with unique wine packages, wine-themed excursions, and incredible tasting experiences up for bid.
On August 8, the Auction of Washington Wines recognizes emerging and diverse wine industry leaders at the TOAST! Industry Awards, which will be held at Sparkman Cellars in Woodinville.
The Winemaker Picnic & Barrel Auction is the largest celebration of Washington wine in the Auction calendar. Held on the beautiful grounds of Chateau Ste. Michelle on August 9, the Picnic provides an opportunity to meet more than 90 Washington state winemakers.
The Gala, held at Chateau Ste. Michelle on August 10, is the Auction’s marquee fundraising event. The Gala offers exclusive auction items in a live auction, and the party continues under the stars at the Gala. For more information about AWW’s 2024 schedule of events, visit: www.auctionofwawines.org.